Stock feeding mechanism for packaging machines



Oct. 1, 1935. B. D. GREENLAW 2,015,392

STOCK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINES Filed May 14, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORQ 54076? D. 676672Zd60,

BYggfi: I

ATTORNEY.

Odt. 1, 1935. B. D. GREENLAW 2,015,892

STOCK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINES Filed May 14, 1951 :5 Sheets-Shet 2 5 INVENTCR.

I 36030262 Gregrzlazu,

ATTORNEY.-

Oct. 1, 1935.

B. D. GREENLAW STOCK FEEDJZNG MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINES Filed May 14, 1951 .3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Barpe: J2 Greerzlzzw,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 1, 1935 ATENT OFFIiCE STOCK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGKNG MACHINES BurpeeD. Greenlaw, Fitchburg, Mass, assignor to The Brown Bag Filling Machine Company, Fitchburg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 14, 1931, Serial No. 537,468

8 Claims.

The invention relates to stock'feeding means for charge forming mechanism of packaging machines, and other machines where it is desired to continuously supply peculiarly shaped articles in ordered fashion or relation at a given point. It is particularly adapted in the present instance to use in feeding nails, screws and the like, to a chute through which they pass to the counting and delivery mechanism of a bag filling machine.

It is an important aimof the invention to enable the continuous feeding of stock from a very large reservoir hopper to a rotating .drum hopper including perimetral buckets adapted to carry the nails from a low point to an elevated point for discharge into an ordering device and feed chute.

The use of a very large stock'hopper involves problems quite distinct from those where small hoppers are employed. Owing to the weight involved in the lower part of extremely large hoppers, there is a greater tendency for the stock to pack and bind than in smaller hoppers. In "the case of small hoppers it is possible to vibrate the hopper or move the stock easily, whereas in very large hoppers excessive power would be required if this were attempted, and very'much heavier construction than would be reasonable in relation V very large stationary reservoir hopper containing one hundred or more pounds, of stock, which will not require replenishment oftener than once in several days for ordinary counts, and it will insure uniform supply of nail stock to the drum hopper continuously without attention from the attendant or operator to maintain its satisfactory feed.

It is a special aim to provide a novel means to move the stock from the reservoir hopper with a minimum of power expenditure. Another aim is to present a novel means to adapt the invention to certain replenishment of nails in a drum hopper in exact response to its requirements. That is, to afford a means to regulate the feed to the in a positive way which may be made proportionately responsive to the rate of use by a packaging machine.

A further aim is to present a novel coordination of therotating drum and a starting chute for ordered articles. An important purpose is to give a novel and very quickly operative nail-arranging or ordering means for entering nails in the chute immediately after they are dropped from the buckets of the drum.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodi- 5 ment of the invention, as will more readily appear from the description hereinafter, and in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention, l0

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on a plane parallel with the plane of the starting chute,

Figure 3 is a front view of the drum with a part removed.

Figure 4 is a detail of the fender plates.

Figure 5 is a detail of the mounting of the fender plates.

Figure 6 is a rear .elevation of the machine.

Figure 7 is a detail of thestarting rolls;

Figure 8 is a detail of the helicoidal screw.

Figure 9 is a detail cross section of the starting chute and clearing brush.

There isillustratecl a machine comprising a supporting frame ID on which there is mounted an inclined chute ll, familiar in machines of this 5 kind as shown in the patent to Barter, 1,164,975, (See also patent to Cummings 539,171, May 14, 1885.) A circular drum hopper l2 of substantially biscuit-shaped form is mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis concentric with the drum. The support for this drum consists of three narrow rollers 13 mounted on horizontal axes parallel to the axis of the drum,.one roller at the lower side of the drum and the other two thereabove at respective sides of the drum. These rollers run in 5 a grooved annular track it fixed. on the drum in its medial plane. By this means the drum is supported and also held on a fixed axis. A crown gear 15 is secured to the drum beside this track, and meshed therewith is a driving pinion it on a shaft ll revoluble in a bracket l8 (which also supports the adjacent roller I3) the shaft alsohaving a sprocket l9 and pulley 2t fixed thereon. The sprocket is driven by the chain 2| from any suitable driving sprocket.

The rear part of the drum is formed with an annular head portion 22, having the large concentric receiving opening 23 ,therethrough; while the front of the drum is formed with an inturned annular lip 24 affording a very large 5 opening into the drum, an annular front head plate 26 being removably secured to the lip 24, andhaving a large opening 21 therethrough.

The upper end of the ;main delivery chute H io simmedia e in nt Qfi d u ius ab 5.

plate 26. l

The frame includes an arched rear top member 28, the central portion of which lies close to the rear head 22 of the drum and near the level of the upper side of the opening 23 through this head. Journalled in a bracket 29 secured centrally to this member 28, there are two parallel inclined chute rolls 3!], the shafts of which are extended through the bracket and provided with meshed gears 3!, while one of the shafts is still further extended and provided with a pulley 32. This is driven by the round belt 33, which also passes around idler pulleys 3 3 to the pulley 20 before mentioned. The idler pulleys 3d are mounted on a bracket 35 on the member 28. The lower ends of the rolls 3% are revolubly mounted in close abutment with the upper end of the chute i I, which is'shaped to form a continuation of the roll projections to receive nails in the chute readily. The rolls are spaced from each other sufficiently to permit the shanks of the nails to hang loosely therebetween, and the diameter of the rolls is suchthat the heads of the nails between the rolls may rest securely thereon for support. The drive of the rolls 33 by the belt 33 is such that the rolls move upward at their inner sides, as will be understood.

Near the front or lower ends of the rolls a bracket 36 is mounted on the upper part of the chute ii, extending upwardly and before the drum adjacent the opening 27, and on this within the drum there is mounted a rotary brush 3i of light bristles which brush lightly across the tops of the rolls 3% so that any nails which may lie upon the heads of pendant nails supported by the rolls, will be brushed back into the drum. The brush has a pulley driven by belt from a larger pulley 38 mounted on the bracket 39 at one side of the frame Ii], which may be an extension of the bracket supporting the adjacent drum-supporting roller it, the pulley 38 has fixed therewith a gear til meshed with a ring gear 50 on the drum. Immediately in front of the brush two guard wings M are mounted, one on the brush bracket 35 and the other on an individual bracket secured to the chute ll, these being metal plates extending within the drum and overlapping the edges of the opening 21 in the front head, so as to prevent nails from flying out through the opening.

The drum I2 is provided with a series of buckets 42 circumferentially arranged on its interior, and so shaped that after receiving nails and moving upwardly, the nails will be discharged therefrom principally next the rear head 22, and over the upper ends of the rolls 30. Supported by the arch top member 28 of the frame there are two horizontal shafts 53 projecting forwardly into the drum close to the upper edge of the opening 23 and on these shafts there are adjustable, slidably and rotatably, fender plates 44 and 45 respectively. The shafts 33 are mounted on respective brackets it adjustable on the frame member 28, so that the shafts may be adjusted toward and away from the rolls 30.

It should be noted that the drum rotates so that the buckets move upward at the left hand side and then toward the right at the top. The

.nails thus have some momentum in the direction of rotation when discharged from the buckets. The right hand plate 44 is planiform, extending at an incline from adjacent the right hand roll 38 upward toward the right at an angle of about 30 degrees to the vertical, although this exact rethe lower edge of the opening 21 through the' lation is not arbitrary, and may vary without serious impairment of the function of the plate. The left hand plate has a lower part t5 which is parallel to and spaced from the plate 44 less than the length of the nails to be ordered, while its upper part ll extends at an angle therefrom toward the left, being inclined toward the left at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the vertical. The upper parts of the two plates thus form a funnel-like relationcatching the nails falling from the buckets and causing them while falling to aline or nearly aline with the slot between the chute rolls 3%. The result is that a surprisingly large percentage of the nails dropped from the buckets are caused to drop their shanks between the rolls 3E! and hang suspended by the heads. The spacing of the plate portions 45 and 64, while less than the length of the nails, should be not less than twice the diameter of the nail head, in order to avoid liability of choking of nails in the space over the rolls 30. The nails striking the plate 44 are caused to become positioned while falling, with their longitudinal axes parallel to the plate, and it is important that this plate be only slightly inclined, as the heads and points may then fall with the same velocity, whereas if the plate were more inclined, the heads would be caused to become lowermost, and accumulation between the shafts 30 thus impaired. Nails falling upon the plate 45 are guided toward the plate 44, and should the heads be foremost as they leave the plate 47, such heads will strike the plate M and the nails thus caused to be turned so that the points will move into lowermost position with rapidity. The plates 44 and it each have a block 48 apertured to receive the shafts Q3 respectively, and set screws 69 engaged in the blocks to bind the shafts when tightened.

At the lower ends of the rolls 353, they are mounted slightly above the level of the tops of the rails of the chute I I, so that nail heads passing from the rolls will not meet with obstruction as they pass on to the chute rails.

By'the construction described the major part stock may be introduced thereinto with facility.

To maintain the drum i2 constantly replenished with nails to be carried up by the buckets and fed to the chute, there is mounted on a suitable extension of the frame iii a large hopper 5B which may be of any desired capacity, its sides being suitably shaped to guide the contents into a large throat opening 5!, beneath which a semi-circular trough 52 forms the bottom of the hopper, being inclined downwardly toward the front. through the front side of the hopper, of which opening the trough forms the lower part. As a continuation of the trough, a tubular cylinder or spout 54 is continued from this opening to the rear opening 23 of the drum into which it projects slightly. This tube is of a diameter less than that of the opening 23, and wings 55 may be mounted on the tube to close the opening 23.

At the rear side of the hopper an extensive bear- 6 5 A circular opening 53 is formed than the interior diameter of the tube 54, so that there is a minimum liability of stock becoming jammed between the screw and the sides of the spout.

The inclination of the bottom of the trough 52 and the spout 54 is such that the stock tends to move therethrough by gravity, and the shape of the helicoidal vane is such that it will prevent movement of the stock fromthe hopper while the helicoid is stationary. The outer and inner parts of the shaft 5'! are made in separate pieces connected by a coiled wire spring device 59 just'within the bearing 56. For this purpose the two secv tions of the shaft are formed with opposed tenons,

and the spring consists of a closed helix snugly fitted at its ends on the tenons, to which it may be soldered or welded. Thelower end of the shaft is formed integrally with the helicoidal screw which may rest against the tube 54 at times. The spring 59 affords a universal joint and permits the screw to float in the tube freely for axial displacement either pivotally, or translatively. As shown, the spring consists of two helices of wire, although more or a single coil may be used, if desired. The upper section of the shaft projects from the hopper a distance and has mounted thereon a pulley 60 the hub of which projects a distance at the outer side and has a hand wheel 6| thereon by which the screw 58 may be turned manually when desired.

On a bracket 62 extended rearwardly from the frame Ill there is mounted a pulley 53 connected by twisted belt 63' to the pulley 66 and rotated by a ratchet and pawl 64-65 operated by pitman 66 from an eccentric on the shaft I? before mentioned. Theeccentric comprises a member 67 fixed on the shaft II and having a radial dovetail groove at the right hand or outer side, in which there is slidable the head of a bolt 63 on which there is screwed a hand nut 69, having a sleeve portion inwardly thereof around thebolt, serving also as a bearing for the end of the pitman 66. The rear end of the pitman is pivoted on a bar Ill pivoted on the axis of the ratchet 6 5 and having spring pressed pawls 65 thereon engaging the teeth of the ratchet at diametrically opposite sides of the ratchet. One of the pawls has its point midway of the back of one tooth of the ratchet when the other pawl engages a tooth to move the ratchet. By loosening the nut 69 and adjusting it radially the stroke of the pitman may be varied as required to regulate the operation, as will be understood.

In operation, the hopper 59 is filled with nails, and the shaft 51 operated manually a few turns. This will bring a supply of nails into the drum.

The machine is then operated normally, nails being continually supplied to the chute I I thereby. The buckets 42 lift the nails from beneath the spout 54 and throw them against the plates M and 45 from whichthey drop between or upon the rotary shafts 3t and a large number become suspended therebetween. The shafts being rotated constantly so that they move upwardly at the inner sides, the nails are caused to adjust themselves rapidly, and also to slide downwardly toward the chute I I. The shafts 30 are not sulficiently inclined for the nails to slide longitudinally thereon bodily and so the rotation of the shafts 30 causes them to slip properly, as well as to facilitate adjustment of the nails in the slot. The shafts 39 may be of the same diameter for practically all sizes of nails, so that changes thereof are not required to adapt the machine to use with different sizes, ordinarily.

In the operation of the machine, the screw 58 is turned very slowly, so that the stock is permitted to feed to the drum only as required to replenish the loss of stock which passes to the counting and ejecting device. On account of the fact the stock is tending the while to move by gravity from the hopper 5i], there is very little power required to operate the screw, and also a minimum tendency of the screw to become jammed by the stock. When there is a larger 1 charge.to be formed for the receptacles being filled, the nut 69 is adjusted outwardly on the member 61 so as to cause more rapid rotation of the screw, and thus compensate for the more rapid depletion of the contents of the drum. The 1 operation of the screw should be such as to simply feed sufiicient stock to be carried up by the buckets, and not to maintain a large bulk of stock covering the buckets at the lower side of the drum. In this way there will be a minimum 2 number of nails thrown accidentally from the drum. A number of nails will lie on top of these which have become properly ordered between the shafts 36, and move downwardly therewith but these will be thrown back into the drum by the brush 37. The plates l445 may be spaced variously by swinging the brackets 46 as required, and the angular relations of the fender plates may be adjusted by loosening the screws 49, moving the plates to the desired positions and then 3 tightening the screws.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, a rotary drum hopper having buckets therewithin, inclined parallel members extending therein 3 across the plane of rotation of the buckets forming a chute, fender plates over and spaced from the chute, said plates having lower edge portions spaced from respective parallel members sufiiciently for clearance of nails laterally between ,i

the plates and respective parallel members and being alined with the chute and positioned to engage articles discharged by the buckets, and means to rotate the drum.

2. In a stock feed of the character described, an ordering device including a circular drum mounted revolubly on a horizontal axis concentric with that of the drum, the drum having a coaxial opening in the head thereof, a stock conduit discharging through said opening and a 5 shield on the conduit projecting within the drum at the lower half, and extending outwardly of the drum at its upper part, and an ordering mechanism including operative: parts projected through the upper part of said opening, stock elevating 5 means on the drum to deliver material to said ordering mechanism, and means to operate the drum.

3. In a. machine of the character described, a revoluble drum hopper having stock lifting 6 buckets therewithin, a stock ordering chute extending across the plane of the path of the buckets and within the path, a stationary mounting without the drum, cranked shafts adjustably mounted thereon extending within the drum at a 6 point near the axis and having the crank portions offset from the axis of the drum in adjustable spaced relation, and fender plates carried thereby spaced above said chute and arranged in stockordering relation mutually and with respect to the 7 buckets and chute.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said fender plates are revoluble on said shaft and means to fix the plates releasably on the shaft.

5. In a machine of the characterdescribed, a 75 1 rotary drum hopper having buckets therewithin, inclined parallel members therein extending approach of the buckets and inclined downwardly toward the first plate in a plane to intersect the first plate medially, and means to rotate the drum.

6. In a machine of the character described, a rotary drum hopper having buckets therewithin,

inclined parallel members therein extending across the plane of rotation of the buckets and forming a chute, two fender plates positioned in funnel-relation to receive stock therebetween from the buckets, the lower inclined part of one being spaced from the other less than the major dimension of the articles to be ordered, and having a lower extension therefrom parallel to the other plate, and means to rotate the drum.

7. The structure of claim 6 in which means is provided to mount said plates movably for adjustment toward and away from' respective chute members in spaced relation to said members, and means to secure the plates in adjusted positions.

8. The structure of claim 1 in which the said parallel members are rotary rolls, means to rotate the rolls to move their upper faces laterally outward, and means to mount said plates movably for adjustment toward and away from the respective rolls in spaced relation to the rolls, and means to secure the plates in adjusted positions.

BURPEE D. GREENLAW. 

